This data set contains three ASCII files (.txt format). Two files contain above- and below-ground biomass and productivity data for a desert grassland in the Jornada Experimental Range, New Mexico, one file for an ungrazed treatment and the other for a light to moderately grazed treatment. The study site (32.60 N, -106.85 W, Elevation 1,350 m) is located in the Basin and Range geomorphic province at the northernmost extent of the Chihuahuan Desert, near the city of Las Cruces, New Mexico, about 60-km northwest of El Paso, Texas. The third file contains climate data for the period 1954-1992 obtained from a weather station located near the study site (32.62 N, -106.73 W, Elevation 1,300 m).Dynamics of above-and below-ground plant biomass were monitored at roughly 2-week intervals during the growing season from 1970 to 1972. Data on above-ground live biomass, recent and old dead matter, and root-crown biomass are available for one to two replications of grazed and "ungrazed" (relatively undisturbed) treatments. Total below-ground biomass was also sampled. Data were collected as part of a coordinated study over 1-3 years at ten grassland sites of the central and western United States, under the US GrasslandBiome Project of the International Biological Program (IBP).Annual above-ground net primary production (ANPP) was estimated, conservatively, by summing peak biomass of individual species, and annual below-ground net primary production (BNPP) estimated as the sum of positive increments in total root biomass.

This data set contains two ASCII files (.txt format). One file contains monthly productivity data measured on an arid dwarf-shrub steppe in northern Patagonia, Argentina from August 1980 to March 1982. The second file contains climate data recorded at a weather station set up onsite for the duration of the NPP study.Dynamics of above-ground biomass, dead matter, and litter were monitored at Pampa de Leman (-45.43 S, -69.83 W, Elevation 400 m) at monthly or bi-monthly intervals in a 1.5-hectare exclosure area protected from sheep grazing. The vegetative community is dominated by the dwarf shrub Nassauvia glomerulosa, with two grasses (Poa dusenii and Hordeum comosum).Annual above-ground net primary productivity (ANPP) of 78 g/m2/yr was estimated from the sum of the increase in above-ground biomass, dead matter, and litter.

This data set contains two ASCII text files; one providing above-ground biomass, productivity, and bioelement concentration data for a derived savanna at Cañas (10.4 N 85.1 W Elevation 45 m) in northwestern Costa Rica, and the other providing climate data from the La Pacifica weather station near Cañas and rom other sources. Monthly dynamics of above-ground plant matter were monitored from July 1969 to June 1970 using harvest procedures within an exclosure to restrict grazing. The climate data are available from three time periods: 1951-1960, 1963, and 1969-1970. The climate is characterized by a dry season from late November to April, with little seasonal differences in temperature. The Cañas study site is dominated almost exclusively by Hyparrhenia rufa, a perennial grass of African origin introduced extensively throughout the tropics. The original vegetation cover was closed semideciduous forest. The study area was deforested and converted to a grass savanna around January 1947, 22.5 years before the start of the present study. Light grazing by cattle and horses is accompanied by burning of the Cañas savanna annually between December and April. Above-ground net primary productivity (ANPP) was estimated by two methods: maximum standing crop of herbaceous shoot tissue (peak live + dead matter) (968 g/m2/year); and the sum of monthly estimates of shoot production (including estimated mortality) (1,387 g/m2/year). End-of-season (November, 1969) live root biomass estimates of 1,220 g/m2 at 0-20 cm depth and 2,254 g/m2 at 0-100 cm depth are available in the literature.

This data set contains two ASCII text files; one providing above-ground biomass, productivity, and bioelement concentration data for a derived savanna at Canas (10.4 N 85.1 W Elevation 45 m) in northwestern Costa Rica, and the other providing climate data from the La Pacifica weather station near Canas and rom other sources. Monthly dynamics of above-ground plant matter were monitored from July 1969 to June 1970 using harvest procedures within an exclosure to restrict grazing. The climate data are available from three time periods: 1951-1960, 1963, and 1969-1970. The climate is characterized by a dry season from late November to April, with little seasonal differences in temperature. The Canas study site is dominated almost exclusively by Hyparrhenia rufa, a perennial grass of African origin introduced extensively throughout the tropics. The original vegetation cover was closed semideciduous forest. The study area was deforested and converted to a grass savanna around January 1947, 22.5 years before the start of the present study. Light grazing by cattle and horses is accompanied by burning of the Canas savanna annually between December and April. Above-ground net primary productivity (ANPP) was estimated by two methods: maximum standing crop of herbaceous shoot tissue (peak live + dead matter) (968 g/m2/year); and the sum of monthly estimates of shoot production (including estimated mortality) (1,387 g/m2/year). End-of-season (November, 1969) live root biomass estimates of 1,220 g/m2 at 0-20 cm depth and 2,254 g/m2 at 0-100 cm depth are available in the literature.

This data set contains three data files in text format (.txt) for a temperate dry steppe at Rio Mayo, Argentia. One file contains quarterly above-ground biomass data for grasses on the steepe (May 1984-May 1985). The second file contains average annual above-ground primary production (ANPP) data for grasses and shrubs for years 1972-1997 based upon peak above-ground biomass estimates. The third file contains precipitation and maximum/minimum temperature data for the Rio Mayo site for the period 1968 through 1990.Rio Mayo is located in the Patagonia region of Argentina. The vegetation is chiefly composed of grasses and shrubs. Harvest methods were used to estimate grass and shrub production. Between 1972 and 1997, peak annual ANPP of grasses plus shrubs ranged from 21 to 75 g/m2/yr, with an average of about 60 g/m2/yr. Grasses accounted for about two-thirds of the productivity. ANPP was reduced in a drought year, but did not increase in relatively wet years, suggesting that it may not be linearly related to precipitation. ANPP for 1984-1985 was slightly higher (79 g/m2/yr) when a different algorithm was used for estimation. Revision Notes: The original npp data file (rmy_npp.txt) has been split into two files, one file containing seasonal biomass and the other containing annual ANPP estimates. The data file containing annual ANPP estimates has been revised to extend temporage coverage and add additional annual ANPP data. See the Revisions section in this document for details.

This data set includes five ASCII files (.txt format). Three files contain above- and below-ground biomass and net primary productivity (NPP) data, one file for each tropical forest study site near San Carlos de Rio Negro, Venezuela. The study sites are located along an ecosystem gradient from riverine to lateritic hill: Tall Amazon Caatinga forest on coarse sandy spodosols close to river level; Bana vegetation on sandy soils less prone to flooding; and Tierra Firme mixed forest on clay oxisols of higher ground. Bioelement concentrations are also provided. The other two files contain climate data from a weather station in San Carlos village.ANPP for the Tierra Firme forest is estimated at 1,590 g/m2/year, including woody biomass increment of 600 g/m2/year, and BNPP values in the range of 201-1,117 g/m2/year, suggesting a minimum estimate of TNPP of 1,800-2,700 g/m2/year. ANPP of a nearby cut-and-burned oxisol plot attained 1,940 g/m2 in the fifth year following clearing. ANPP of Tall Amazon Caatinga is estimated at 1,150 g/m2/year, with root turnover of 120 g/m2/year, giving a minimum estimate of TNPP of 1,270 g/m2/year. TNPP estimate for Bana vegetation, based on annual litterfall accumulation plus root production, is 478 g/m2/year.

This data set contains five ASCII files (.txt format). Three files contain productivity data for a mixed prairie at the Matador Field Station, Canada, and two files contain climate data. The 8-km2 Matador Field Station (50.70 N, -107.72 W, Elevation 676 m) is located approximately 47-km north of the city of Swift Current in southern Saskatchewan Province at the northern limit of the "mixed prairie" portion of the North American Great Plains. The study area is located on the bed of a former glacial lake. One NPP file contains monthly measurements of above-ground standing live and dead biomass and litter made in "Section 16" by harvest methods during the growing season from March or April 1968 to October or November 1972. The second NPP file contains monthly measurements of root biomass made at different depths in "Section 16" during the growing season from April 1968 to July 1971. The third NPP file contains monthly above-ground biomass estimates for a secondary study area during the growing season from May 1970 to August 1972. The climate data are reported from two locations, one file from a weather station at Swift Current (1938-1990) and the other from a weather station at the Field Station during the study period (1968-1972). The above- and below-ground net primary productivity (ANPP and BNPP, respectively) were calculated for "Section 16" only. ANPP (363 g/m2/yr) was sum of the increase in green biomass over the growing season, plus increase in dead biomass and litter. BNPP (600 g/m2/yr) was the increase in root biomass over the growing season.

This data set contains three ASCII files (.txt format). One file provides net primary productivity (NPP) data for the moist lowland tropical forest on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. NPP estimates are based on field measurements of litterfall accumulation, tree growth and mortality, and herbivory. Above-ground biomass and LAI are also reported. The other two files provide climate data recorded onsite.Annual litterfall accumulation (leaf + twig + other litterfall) averaged 1,064 g/m2/year, excluding losses to herbivory, on the central plateau of the island and in the Lutz catchment (1969-1979) and 1,246 g/m2/year at Poacher's Peninsula (1986-1990). Herbivory due to insects (about 50 g/m2/year) was estimated from leaf litterfall (1974-1977) by measuring holes and gaps in fallen leaves. An additional 30 g/m2/year may be lost to vertebrate herbivores which leave no identifiable traces in litter traps. Coarse wood litterfall due to tree damage may represent an additional 46 g/m2/year. Above-ground biomass averaged 27,425 g/m2 based on inventory data collected every 5 years from 1985 to 2000 and allometric regression equations. Tree growth of 554 g/m2/year was based on above-ground biomass changes during the three census intervals. Tree mortality of 2-3% was estimated by recording dead or missing trees (1982-1990). LAI of 7.3 was based on the average area of leaves that fell per area of ground per year. Overall, above-ground NPP for Barro Colorado Island was estimated at 1,800 g/m2/year.

This data set contains three ASCII files (.txt format). Two files contain above- and below-ground biomass and productivity data for a desert grassland in the Jornada Experimental Range, New Mexico, one file for an ungrazed treatment and the other for a light to moderately grazed treatment. The study site (32.60 N, -106.85 W, Elevation 1,350 m) is located in the Basin and Range geomorphic province at the northernmost extent of the Chihuahuan Desert, near the city of Las Cruces, New Mexico, about 60-km northwest of El Paso, Texas. The third file contains climate data for the period 1954-1992 obtained from a weather station located near the study site (32.62 N, -106.73 W, Elevation 1,300 m).Dynamics of above-and below-ground plant biomass were monitored at roughly 2-week intervals during the growing season from 1970 to 1972. Data on above-ground live biomass, recent and old dead matter, and root-crown biomass are available for one to two replications of grazed and "ungrazed" (relatively undisturbed) treatments. Total below-ground biomass was also sampled. Data were collected as part of a coordinated study over 1-3 years at ten grassland sites of the central and western United States, under the US GrasslandBiome Project of the International Biological Program (IBP).Annual above-ground net primary production (ANPP) was estimated, conservatively, by summing peak biomass of individual species, and annual below-ground net primary production (BNPP) estimated as the sum of positive increments in total root biomass.

This data set contains three ASCII data files (.txt format), one for net primary production (NPP) component data and two for climate data. The NPP studies were conducted in a tropical montane forest in the Sierra de Merida at San Eusebio (8.62 N 71.35 W) in northwestern Venezuela. The forest is mostly primary in character, with some selective logging having taken place in the past. Biomass, litterfall, and nutrient content of above- and below-ground vegetation and soil were determined in 1973-1974.Standing stocks of biomass and nutrients are reported as the mean of 13 plots with contrasting soil types, slope, and relief. Litterfall is reported as the mean determined for 3 of these plots, measured bi-weekly over the course of one year. Root turnover was estimated by correlation with leaf litter turnover (13%), and woody turnover was estimated by assuming the system to be in steady-state. A minimum estimate of total NPP (1,497 g/m2/year) may be obtained by summing total litterfall (697 g/m2/year), woody turnover (480 g/m2/year), and fine root turnover (320 g/m2/year). The forest contains high mineral stores, accumulated especially in the woody compartment. N and P values are very high in the soil compartment.Long-term climate data are available for Merida (8.60 N 71.18 W), about 30 km southeast of the study site. Mean annual temperature is 18.9 C and mean annual precipitation is 1,752 mm, giving a humid/sub-humid climate. Short-term weather observation recorded at the study site are also provided in the data set.